Social distancing guidelines in the U.S. have extended until April 30 and many states now have stay-at-home orders to protect the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. But isolation and loneliness can affect people's emotional health, especially older adults.
"Social interaction and emotional health are definitely intertwined, and during this time when social interaction can't be something that everyone can do, we have to look for alternatives," says Dr. Beth Rush, a Mayo Clinic psychologist.